Trails Unfollowed: A Beast Wars Fanfiction
by Slyphen Frazer
Summary: A fanfiction of BEast wars, taking place shortly after the reincarnation of Dinobot and just before...ummm...I don't know...Full of new characters and inrigue generated from the Maximals lives before their trip to Earth. Also, it is rated M, just in case.
1. Chapter 1

_This story is a work of fiction. In this story, I use several Original Characters, including __Dustfang__, Veteran, and Bull-Strike, and several others. All other characters are property of Hasbro and whoever owns the copyright for said company and its creations. _

Trails Un-followed: A Beast Wars Fan-Fiction

Chapter One- _A New Set of Wings_

The first thing he saw was the night sky. He sat up in his opened Stasis Pod, staring at the hundreds of thousands of stars. He placed one hand on the rim of the pod and used it to push himself to his feet in the pod.

His head was tilted back as he examined the amazing view. He climbed down out of the pod, still watching the cosmos.

"Incredible…" he drawled, his voice patterns resembling what a human would call a southern drawl.

"Sure is," a second voice called out, somewhere to his left.

The figure whipped around, two blasters resembling western-style revolvers ready and cocked.

"Who's that!?" He demanded, the hammers pulled back. A strange, lopsided figure walked out of the shadows. One arm was a long serpent head and neck, the gold and green cobra hood extended outwards.

"Pardon the int'rush'un, pardner." He said, raising his other arm, a strange limb that had, in place of a forearm, eight, long, multi-jointed digits. "I ain't a enemy."

The revolvers lowered slightly, and so did the others arms.

"Names Quickstrike, friend."

BANG! BANG!

'Quickstrike' was hurled off his feet, tossed back into a tree with two smoking craters in his chest.

"Quickstrike, mah fender-plate!" The male twirled his guns around his fingers, then shoved them into the holsters on his waist...which promptly retracted into his body. "better do something with him..." He walked over to the wounded Predacon, for that is what it was, and grabbed him by the foot. He dragged him over to the Stasis Pod, chucking him in, then slamming the lid. He activated the repair module, then set up a Maximal Homing Beacon. Now, all he had to do was wait.

* * *

Black Arachnia was the first to recieve the transmission. She turned her head, looking in the direction of the beacon, and then activated her comm unit. 

"BA to Base. I got a MHB in Alpha-Zulon District. Am checking it out now." She deactivated her comm, then turned in the direction of the beacon. She fired her blaster at a tree, a string of Cyber-Web shooting out and grabbing the branch. She leapt up and swung off.

* * *

Rhinox sighed. There was no arguing with her. He looked over his shoudler at Cheetor, who was shining his arm, and said "Cheetor, go after her..." He stood up, snapping to attention, and said "YESSIR!!" He turned, shifting into beast mode, and running off.

* * *

Silverbolt saw Cheetor run through the cracked doors, and tracked him with the man-cannons at the front. His rival quickly disapeared, his power-jet hurling him at high speeds into territory Silverbolt saw unworthy of attention, unless Rhinox had told Cheetor to go there. He activated his comm and said "Rhinox? Where is Cheetor off to?" 

"He is checking out A-Z district. Black Arachnia detected a MHB, a Maximal Homing Beacon, and I sent Cheetor to check it out with her. You got a problem with that, Silverbolt?" The last sentence had a hint of challenge, and Silverbolt detected it.

"No, sir..." Silverbolt replied, grinding his teeth. "Silverbolt out."

* * *

Black Arachnia landed in the center of the clearing. The clearing was empty, save for the closed Stasis Pod and the Beacon sitting on the top of it. She looked around, scanning the vicinity for any signs of life, be Predacon or Maximal. She nearly jumped out of her skid plates when the round barrel of a weapon of some kind pressed against her back. 

"Howdy Darlin'." Her captor said, and her eyes narrowed. The voice was familiar, but it wasn't Quickstrike. They had the same accent...but sometihing was different about his voice. She felt...deep inside her spark, a twinge of some passed memory. It reminded her, ever so briefly, of her feelings towards Silverbolt. Strange.

"Hello there. You wouldn't happen to be the Maximal who set up the Stasis Pod, would you?" She asked. "You also wouldn't happen to be a Predacon, would you?"

The male laughed, and once more, Black Arachnia felt that twinge. "No, darlin', just cautious is all." He stepped back, holstering his gun, then walked around her, heading for the beacon.

He was tall, for a typical Maximal, and his color scheme, Black and Shining purple, reminded her of a transmetal. Her eyes nrrowed slightly when she saw his head.

It had a hat, something the humans called a ten gallon, and jutting from underneath, a loose pony-tail hung. Also, on his back, the two halves of his beast mode head, she assumed, were clamped. It looked like a horse, but it had long bat ears and fangs.

He turned around and she saw his front. She had thought him plain, but she saw that the long black armor plates that had hid his back was actually a coat like construct, created by his wings, and his feet looked like...cowboy boots. She had studied Earth Culture, and she noticed that this male was a Fanatic. He loved Earth Culture so much, he had designed his form after them. He had chosen the Cowboy form, and she found she liked it.

"What is your name?" She asked. And, for some reason, she felt she knew the answer.

The 'bot looked up and grinned. "Call me Dustfang, little lady."

* * *

Black Arachnia watched the male move. He picked up the Beacon, shutting it off, and then turned to his pod. She watched him open it, peer inside, and pull someone out. She hissed and drew her weapon, her leg guns pointing as well. Dustfang looked up at her, one eybrow raised. She relaxed slightly, feeling slightly embarrassed. _What the hell!! _She thought, raising her weapons again. Silverbolt hadn't even made her feel embarrassed, and, by primus, he slept with her on a regular basis! _Who is this guy! _

"Somethin' a matter darlin'?" He asked, and she realized what she had gotten riled up for in the first place.

"That is a predacon, idiot, and I was wondering why you were pulling him out of your Stasis Pod."

He grinned, almost sheepishly, and she wanted to lower her weapons and laugh at how cute he was. _CUTE!! _She was thining of cute! She hated cute! She shot at cute whenever she got the chance!

"I beat him, is all. He wasn't dead, so I thought it on'y fair, as the winna, to make sure he lived to improve...It is a sort of...a warriors code of honor, you know?" He looked up and, for the first time, got a good look at her face. If he had had blood, it would have drained from his face.

"No way..." He muttered, standing up. His hands twiched and he lunged forward, reaching out to wrap his arms around her, the fem-bot from his past. "Barinia!!"

Black Arachnia was a little sluggish. She felt his embrace before she could respond to his movements, and the tenderness of it surprised it. She gulped, then whispered quietly, still stunned, "Who is...Barinia?"

* * *

Cheetor chose that moment to arrive. He caught sight of a large bot holding a surprised Black Arachnia to him, and transformed, drawing his weapon. He pointed it at the male, another rival for Black Arachnia's attention, and fired, snarling like the feral cat he changed into. The male went hurling away, and Black Arachnia stumbled back.

"Cheetor! He is a-" Her complaint was cut short by a horrendous shriek.

Dustfang leapt at Cheetor from where he had fallen, his form now exactly what Black Arachnia had guessed. He was a large horse, made of Black and purple chrome, huge bat wings extending from his mechanical back. The huge bat ears on his head were held flat, and from behind his long fangs a hissing sound eminated. He leapt at Cheetor who, as Black Arachnia looked back at the other young, male 'bot, had reverted to his animal form. When the two collided, she noticed just how similar they looked. Her eyes widened as she realized what Dustfang really was.

Somehow, he gotten a Transmetal two form!

Then the sound of screeching and howling echoed around her. Dustfang and Cheetor wrestled around on the ground, hissing and biting, clawing and batting at each other with whatever limbs they could. Cheetors long claws raked Dustfang's flank, but he raked right back with his fore-feet, which were clawed and resembled a bats hindlegs. His own hindlegs ended in hooves, like a horses, and they were kicking at Cheetor as well.

Black Arachnia sighed and fired twice, hitting each with a blast of her venom. The transmetal's struggled for a few nano-clics, then went limp, Cheetor with his tail embedded in Dustfangs side, and Dustfangs mouth clenched tight around Cheetors left forearm.

Black Arachnia activated her comm, then said "Rhinox, I need a pick-up crew. Our two boys got in a fight." She shut it off, but not before she heard Rhinox's sigh.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

_This story is a work of fiction. In this story, I use several Original Characters, including __Dustfang__, Veteran, and Bull-Strike, and several others. All other characters are property of Hasbro and whoever owns the copyright for said company and its creations. _

Trails Un-followed: A Beast Wars Fan-Fiction

Chapter Two- _Revelation_

Dustfang mumbled something inaudible as Optimus dropped him unceremoniously onto the hard, metal floor of the command deck.

He half-smiled as 'Cheetor' got the same treatment. The smile vanished when he heard the voice of his assailant.

"What in the name of Primus were you two maximals doing!" optimus bellowed, his powerful and familiar voice echoing throughout the station.

Dustfang glanced up with his long face, ears standing upright in shock, and stared into the familiar visage of his old drinking partner. "Chug?"

Before Primal could react, Cheetor spoke up, forcing himself to his feet and shifting into robot form. "It was my fault Optimus...I thought he was assaulting Black Arachnia." His foot started drawing little circles on the ground. "Sorry..."

Primal nodded and waved his hand, giving Cheetor permission to scitter off. He did just that.

By the time his focus returned to Dustfang, the latter had stood up and transformed again. Both Maximals stared long into each other's face, but Optimus was the first to break the stare...throwing his head back and laughing loudly.

Dustfang joined in and reached up to wrap an arm around his old friends shoulders, but lowered his arm when he noticed that the shoulder was at least 20 feet above him.

"We thought you were gone, like all the other pods!" Primal said, whiping an imaginary tear from his eye. "We didn't expect to ind any survivors of the energon storm."

Dustfang smiled, jamming one thumb into his own chest, then said "No energon starm can take out SharpShutter Dunare'yun!"

Both laughed again, glad to have been reunited once more.

Optimus was the first to grow somber again, and Dustfang, once known as Dunarion, followed suit, albeit reluctantly.

"Dunarion? We need to talk." The leader said, indicationg the way to his quarters.

Dustfang lowered his head, the facsimile of a sigh escaping from his mouth. He didn't, couldn't, wouldn't wrap his head around the unbearable information Optimus had forced onto him.

"I am sorry, old friend, but she isn't yours anymore..." The respected commander said gently, lowering one massive metallic hand onto his old friends shoulder. "You need to move-" Dustfang snapped out his arm, slapping the huge limb away from him, and standing up.

Dustfang stormed out of the 'bot's quarters, stomping his way to his own room and thinking...remembering...

The tall, thin, and black Maximal spread his large wings, looking at them in satisfaction.

"I like tha Up'grads!" He said in his southern drawl. The younger Dunarion looked up at his friend, who spread similar appendages, though they were, along with the rest of his body, white and silver.

"Shall we race?" The majestic form of Subaron said, flapping once and rising into the air. Dunarion smiled, then shot into the air ahead of his friend of 15 stellar cycles.

On the ground, Barinia watched her two close friends, her gaze lingering on the shining white knight flying around the dark spectre of Dunarion. She loved her powerful hero to death, and Subaron knew it. He stopped and waved at her, his lupine face creasing in a smile...but it vanished as Dunarion collided with him, punching him im the side and darting away, laughing. Subaron growled playfully, turning reluctantly from his 'girlfriend' and darting after his friend.

Dustfang snarled as the memoried returned. He looked into in the projected images on his wall. Two were of his old friends, one above the other on the plain grey wall. Next to them, however, were images of Black Arachnia and this 'Silverbolt' character.No doubt that Barinia and Black Arachnia were one and the same...and Subaron and Silverbolt were the same as well...

* * *

Optimus shook his head sadly and leaned back, resting his head on the wall and closing his optics for some much needed rest. Telling Dustfang of his ex-lover and Bestfriends fate had been hard, but not as hard as the mroe recent tidbit of personal information would be.


	3. Chapter 3

_This story is a work of fiction. In this story, I use several Original Characters, including __Dustfang__, Veteran, and Bull-Strike, and several others. All other characters are property of Hasbro and whoever owns the copyright for said company and its creations. _

Trails Un-followed: A Beast Wars Fan-Fiction

Chapter Three- Bachelor once more...

Dustfang was in his room. His quarters were a mess, and only Optimus knew why their energ-ohal was disappearing at an accelerated rate. Dustfang was using it to drink away his sorrows. Bottles littered the floor as Optimus forced the door open with his override code.

He glared into the darkness at the lumpy form on the sleeping platform, and, after it did not respond to his presence, said "Hey! I got a job for you."The form rolled over and Dustfang sat up, his wings unraveled from their coat-like form and merely hanging from his back like limp blankets.

"What, Chug...Can't yuh let meh die in peace." The slightly slurrred drawl made Optimus' eyes narrow in sympathy. Then he got angry.

"You are so pathetic, Dustfang." The drunken bot sat up a little straighter. "You are diving into the liquor like we had an unlimited supply of it, and you are calling in sick for every assignment. I have let you off because I know how you are feeling right now, but I can't let you keep doing this!"

Dustfang shifted slightly, and his wings began to slowly wrap around his form, back into their customary coat form.

"Now, get off your high, drunken, horse and, as the humans say, GET YOUR ASS OUT OF BED!!"

Dustfang forced himself to his feet, chugged the last of his energ-ohal. "What do yuh got fer me to do that is so danged imper'tant, I have to get up?"

Optimus nodded and said "I need you to teach Cheetor how to shoot." Dustfang looked dumbstruck as Optimus turned around. Before leaving, however, the large ape said "You are to report to the firing range at 1200 sharp. Understood?"

Without waiting for an answer, Optimus left. Dustfang searched for another bottle of Energ-ohal.

* * *

Cheetor fidgeted slightly on the firing range. it was 1200 hours, but Dustfang wasn't here. He checked his chronometer and thought quietly _He isn't here..._ Cheetor turned to leave.

He snarled as a blast at the ground in front of him forced him back a step. He looked up and locked his eyes on his 'mentor.'

"Howdy, runt." Dustfang said, loud enough for 'runt' to here.

Cheetor snarled and the faux hair on his back shot up, and he drew his weapon.

"You could have hit me." Dustfang just smiled.

"I'm cawlled sha'pshoota' fo a reason, runt." Cheetor hissed again.

"Lets get ta work." Dustfang said, shrugging his shoulders resignedly.

For hours, Cheetor fired at staionary targets. He had reloaded dozens of times, had fired hundreds of times, and had missed most of them. He was frustrated. Dustfang just sat back and drank Energ-ahol.

Cheetor roared, twirled around and threw his gun at Dustfang.

"You are supposed to be teaching me!!" he growled. Dustfang sat up and glanced at the gun lying on the floor a few feet ahead of him. He looked up and smiled at the younger bot.

"You want some advice? Then shoot'a damned target!! You stand there, point, then pull 'a trigger. Aim, stupid!" Then the bot leaned back in his chair and lowered his hat on his head, covering his eyes/

Cheetor snarled again and walked over, picked up his gun and fired. He missed. He hissed. He set his feet and snarled at the target. He fired a dozen more times, mising each one. His hands squeezed the gun as he lowered it, then he raised the gun and roared, planning on swinging it down and smashing it on the ground. He hesitated, though. He saw a slight bump on the gun, near the end. It was thin and only a few centimeters high, but he saw it clearly for some reason, saw it for the first time. He lowered the gun slowly. Holding it in close, and just ofr a second, glanced at Dustfang. The bot was still leaning back, but cheetor saw that the hat was pushed back and that the veteran was watching. Cheetor turned back and, this time, used that small, inobtrusive bump to aim. He fired. The shot struck the ground...a foot directly in front of the waspinator replica. He heard a chuckle from his 'mentor's' direction, and cheetor focused again. He aimed up slightly...squeezed the trigger...and knocked over the piece of junk that was his target.

He let out a whoop of joy, punching the air, and he looked back over at Dustfang. The bot's hat was low once more, but his mentor's smile was obvious. Cheetor fired five more times, all but the middle shot striking the target. He reloaded and fired again, and waspuinator was reduced to a piile of molten metal. Cheetor laughed, and his smile widened when Dustfang chuckled.

* * *

"Faster!!" Dustfang growled, and cheetor snarled as he twisted. He tried to keep a lock on his target, but the Quickstrike motif was moving too fast. He growled and fired, but the target was already gone.

"Patterns, Runt! Patterns!" Dustfang called, and Cheetor growled, not understanding. "Patterns!" Dustfang shook his head and turned away, heading back for his chair. Then he heard a shot ring out, and he turned around, to see Cheetor, panting, his gun lowered, and a smoldering hole punched right through the target.

"Movement...patterns..." He panted. Dustfang nodded, then walked out of the training chambers.

They had been training almost nonstop for four days, and the kid had shown great improvement. He was glad that kid didn't expend a hundred shots on a target; he had gotten to a point where he could hit a stationary target everytime, and he was getting better at leading targets. Dustfang did not feel proud of this, though, because everyday he taught the kid something new, every day the kid figured out how to fire his gun properly, it reminded him of the last bot he had taught to shoot: Silverbolt.

About an hour after the end of Cheetors training session, an alarm Klaxon went off. Rhinox called all the MAximals in the base to the makeshift bridge, and he told them what was going on. Three stasis pods were falling out of orbit, and two were landing in close poximity to the Predacon base.

Optimus asked about the third one. Rhinox shuffled his massive, flat feet, and said "Well...umm...It is heading, right for us."

Every Maximal's eyes widened in shock, and only Optimus did not look even more surprised when Rhinox said his next little tidbit of information.

"Also, it is not a standard issue por. It is about twice the size...and it wasn't from our vessel." Optimus nodded, then a smile widened on his face.

"I want Dustfang, Cheetor, and Silverbolt to get to the other two pods. Black Arachnia and Rattrap, you follow as best you can. Rhinox, you and I are gonna meet our knew friend."

Rattrap looked up at the huge bot and cocked a shining eyebrow. "Uh, boss-monkey? Are ya sure we should be welcoming an unknown craf' into our sweet home-sweet-home?"

Optimus just shook his head and grinned. "Trust me, Rattrap. Now...MOVE OUT!!" He bellowed out the last two words, and everyone scrambled into position.

Cheetor rocketed out of the base, following Dustfang and Silverbolt as they flew by. His rocket booster propelled him along just as fast as them. Rattrap and Black Arachnia followed as best they could. Optimus and Rhinox waited outside their base, and a dot on the horizon marked what they were looking for.


End file.
